February 10, 2009 Commodity Markets Review Non-energy commodity prices rose 4.9 percent in January, up for the first time in six months. Commodity prices have broadly stabilized following the plunge in the second half of 2008, with announced and anticipated production cuts (and shortfalls) being the main supporting factor, as demand remains extremely weak and inventories continue to soar especially for industrial commodities. Crude oil prices increased 6.1 percent in January, the first monthly upturn since July, averaging $43.9/bbl. OPEC has agreed to reduce production by more than 4 mb/d since September, and compliance approached twothirds through January. Saudi Arabia, in particular, has moved to aggressively reduce production and has indicated that it would cut output further, if necessary. However, the market remains in surplus, as global oil demand continues to fall and inventories continue to surge, especially in the U.S. In addition, there are estimates of as much as 80 million barrels of oil in floating storage at sea (which is nearly one day of global oil consumption). The international natural gas price index fell 9.9 percent in January, with European prices down 10.4 percent reflecting the lagged indexation of imported gas to oil prices. U.S. gas prices fell 9.5 percent on weak industrial demand, rising production and ample stocks. DECPG, The World Bank Agriculture prices jumped 7.7 percent in January, up for the first time in seven months, with strong increases in most main indices. The largest gain was in rubber, surging 23 percent, as governments in key producing Asian countries announced measures to restrain supplies. Soybean meal prices also leapt 23 percent on downward revisions to Brazil s soybeans output, dry weather in South America, and strong import demand into China. Sorghum and maize prices were also boosted by lower supply prospects in South America, while wheat prices increased on strong import demand. Cocoa and coffee arabica prices were both higher on lower production prospects. Metals and minerals prices rose 2.1 percent in January, the first increase since July. The rise has been partly due to significant cuts in supply, which have been much more rapid than during previous downturns. Also, a tentative recovery in demand by steel producers improved market sentiment. However, most metals markets remain in surplus as demand contracts and inventories soar. The largest price increase was in lead, up 18 percent, on some tightening in China s mine supply as well as robust battery demand in the country for electronic-bikes, motorcycles and replacement vehicle batteries. Other metal prices recorded strong gains except for aluminum which is massively oversupplied. 500 450 400 350 300 250 200 Major Price Indices Indices of Nominal US$ Prices (2000=100) Metals and Minerals Agriculture Energy 150 Jan-07 Jul-07 Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 300 275 250 225 200 175 150 Agriculture Prices - Sub-Indices Indices of Nominal US$ Prices (2000=100) Beverages Food Raw Materials 125 Jan-07 Jul-07 Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Prepared in the Development Economics Prospects Group (DECPG) by Shane Streifel, John Baffes and Betty Dow. Katherine Rollins is task assistant. This report is available on http://decpg.worldbank.org. 1
Major Movers January 1 Rubber prices soared 23.4 percent as key producing country governments (Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam) announced measures to contain supplies. Soybean and soymeal prices jumped 14.3 and 22.8 percent, respectively, due to severe soybean crop damage in Argentina and to a lesser degree in Brazil and Paraguay. Lead prices surged 17.6 percent on robust battery demand for e-bikes and motorcycles in China, as well as tightening domestic mine supply. Urea and potassium chloride prices rose 16.9 and 10.4 percent, respectively, as the natural gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine caused buyers to rush to secure supplies. Nickel prices increased 16.7 percent on significant production cuts and some uptick in stainless steel production although from very depressed levels. Tea prices rose 13.8 percent on higher imports by China and several European countries. Sorghum and maize (substitutes for animal feed) prices increased 10.6 and 9.2 percent, respectively, because of uncertainty regarding Southern Hemisphere production prospects. Silver prices rose 10.5 percent on strong investment demand and increasing concerns about mine supply given output cuts at lead/zinc mines which also reduce co-product silver. Cocoa prices rose 9.6 percent on reports that the cocoa market is heading into deficit for a third consecutive year, and as arrivals at the port of Abidjan were 27% lower than a year ago. Rice prices increased 9.1 percent due to limited exportable supplies by key exporters, especially Thailand, and low off-season rice production due to unusually cold weather. Wheat prices rose 8.6 percent due to strong demand by key importers, including the EU, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Zinc prices increased 7.9 percent, partly due to the massive cuts in of mine supply and stocking by China s State Reserves Bureau. Coffee (arabica) prices rose 7.8 percent on reports that the 2009/10 season may face a 1 Percent change of average January 2009 prices compared to average December 2008 prices in nominal U.S. dollars (graph also includes 12-month changes in grey). deficit of 5 million bags (about 4% of global production) because of reduced output in Brazil. Sugar prices rose 7.1 percent as India is set to be a net importer for the first time since 2006 due to falling production as farmers switch to other crops. Natural gas prices in the U.S. decreased 9.5 percent on weak industrial demand, ample storage, and rising production particularly of unconventional shale-gas output. Natural gas prices in the Europe decreased 10.4 percent on the lagged indexation to oil prices in imported gas contracts. Phosphate rock and DAP fertilizer prices plunged 24.3 and 13.9 percent, respectively, on the continued slump in global demand. Rubber, Singapore Soybean meal Lead Urea, bulk Nickel Soybeans Tea, avg 3 auctions Sorghum Silver Potassium chloride Cocoa Maize Rice, Thai, 5% Wheat, US, HRW Zinc Coffee, arabica Sugar, world Soybean oil Palm oil Crude oil, average spot Gold Copper Cotton, A Index Coal, Australia Beef Tin Logs, Malaysia Palmkernel oil Coffee, robusta Coconut oil Sawnwood Malaysia Aluminum Groundnut oil Natural gas, US Natural gas, Europe DAP Phosphate rock Percent Changes in Price, Nominal US $ -60-40 -20 0 20 40 Jan '09/Dec '08 Jan'09/Jan '08 212.5 54.4 2
COMMODITY PRICE DATA Annual averages Quarterly averages Monthly averages Jan-Dec Jan-Dec Jan-Dec Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Nov Dec Jan Commodity Unit 2007 2008 2009 2007 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2009 Energy Coal, Australia a/ $/mt 65.73 127.10 80.00 83.47 114.00 138.65 162.80 92.97 92.25 78.65 80.00 Crude oil, avg, spot a/ $/bbl 71.12 96.99 43.86 87.61 95.31 120.97 115.68 56.00 53.97 41.34 43.86 Crude oil, Brent a/ $/bbl 72.70 97.64 44.86 88.95 96.67 122.39 115.60 55.89 53.24 41.58 44.86 Crude oil, Dubai a/ $/bbl 68.37 93.78 44.97 83.21 91.30 116.67 113.47 53.67 51.38 41.00 44.97 Crude oil, West Texas Int. a/ $/bbl 72.28 99.56 41.74 90.67 97.94 123.85 117.98 58.45 57.29 41.44 41.74 Natural gas Index a/ 2000=100 186.5 267.9 230.2 197.7 235.3 286.0 284.1 266.4 270.8 255.5 230.2 Natural gas, Europe a/ $/mmbtu 8.56 13.41 13.89 9.37 10.86 12.40 14.62 15.75 15.81 15.50 13.89 Natural gas, US a/ $/mmbtu 6.98 8.86 5.24 7.03 8.65 11.35 9.03 6.40 6.67 5.79 5.24 Natural gas LNG, Japan a/ $/mmbtu 7.68 12.55 13.05 8.96 10.45 11.71 13.33 14.72 15.06 14.10 13.05 Non Energy Commodities Agriculture Beverages Cocoa b/ c/kg 195.2 257.7 262.4 199.7 247.7 276.4 282.6 224.1 205.5 239.4 262.4 Coffee, Arabica b/ c/kg 272.4 308.2 282.9 296.1 328.5 315.1 321.2 267.8 268.7 262.3 282.9 Coffee, robusta b/ c/kg 190.9 232.1 182.4 202.1 247.3 243.6 244.8 192.6 200.1 181.9 182.4 Tea, auctions (3), average b/ c/kg 203.6 242.0 219.2 225.6 234.6 254.7 272.3 206.6 196.7 192.6 219.2 Tea, Colombo auctions b/ c/kg 252.2 278.9 245.9 296.7 305.2 298.5 303.2 208.8 198.0 191.6 245.9 Tea, Kolkata auctions b/ c/kg 192.1 225.5 192.4 207.1 176.6 244.0 260.9 220.2 219.5 208.9 192.4 Tea, Mombasa auctions b/ c/kg 166.5 221.8 219.3 173.0 221.8 221.6 252.8 190.8 172.8 177.3 219.3 Food Fats and Oils Coconut oil b/ $/mt 919 1,224 718 1,098 1,379 1,499 1,246 772 719 740 718 Copra $/mt 607 816 479 724 914 1,013 817 520 479 495 479 Groundnut oil b/ $/mt 1,352 2,131 1,334 1,651 2,007 2,328 2,417 1,773 1,772 1,436 1,334 Palm oil b/ $/mt 780 949 534 928 1,156 1,198 928 512 488 503 534 Palmkernel oil $/mt 888 1,130 556 1,084 1,375 1,420 1,114 609 527 554 556 Soybean meal b/ $/mt 308 424 369 408 443 484 450 320 323 300 369 Soybean oil b/ $/mt 881 1,258 789 1,105 1,384 1,466 1,353 830 824 738 789 Soybeans b/ $/mt 384 523 412 485 563 585 566 377 378 360 412 Grains Barley b/ $/mt 172.4 200.5 121.4 194.6 216.8 239.1 216.6 129.5 130.1 115.2 121.4 Maize b/ $/mt 163.7 223.1 172.8 171.9 220.4 259.0 244.7 168.4 163.8 158.3 172.8 Rice, Thailand, 5% b/ $/mt 326.4 650.2 580.0 344.0 478.1 855.3 703.0 564.4 552.0 531.8 580.0 Rice, Thailand, 25% $/mt 306.5 n.a. 464.0 329.5 n.a. n.a. 669.5 449.9 440.3 422.0 464.0 Rice, Thailand, 35% $/mt 300.1 n.a. n.a. 327.7 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. * Rice,Thai, A1.Special / Super $/mt 272.3 482.3 318.6 312.0 442.8 693.7 478.6 314.1 307.0 287.0 318.6 Sorghum $/mt 162.7 207.8 153.3 173.4 218.7 246.9 214.7 151.0 150.8 138.6 153.3 Wheat, Canada $/mt 300.4 454.6 340.2 415.3 621.7 484.4 390.2 322.1 324.7 325.1 340.2 Wheat, US, HRW b/ $/mt 255.2 326.0 239.1 341.9 411.8 346.5 317.7 228.1 226.8 220.1 239.1 Wheat US SRW $/mt 238.6 271.5 195.1 326.2 384.1 277.8 241.5 182.7 183.0 179.3 195.1 Other Food Bananas EU $/mt 1,037 1,188 1,028 1,068 1,421 1,263 1,123 944 883 1,006 1,028 Bananas US b/ $/mt 676 844 820 652 836 920 775 847 903 830 820 Fishmeal $/mt 1,177 1,133 1,009 1,075 1,126 1,185 1,198 1,023 983 1,036 1,009 Meat, beef b/ c/kg 260.3 313.8 251.6 259.8 282.1 332.7 372.4 268.0 253.5 247.7 251.6 Meat, chicken b/ c/kg 156.7 169.6 174.9 156.7 158.8 167.9 177.1 174.7 174.3 174.4 174.9 Meat, sheep c/kg 412.0 458.5 380.7 437.9 453.6 493.2 477.3 410.0 405.4 393.1 380.7 Oranges b/ $/mt 957 1,107 783 982 1,103 1,322 1,163 842 853 762 783 Shrimp, Mexico b/ c/kg 1,010 1,069 988 1,045 1,103 1,109 1,048 1,014 1,014 1,014 988 Sugar EU domestic b/ c/kg 68.09 69.69 52.31 72.00 74.51 77.59 74.70 51.97 50.28 53.02 52.31 Sugar US domestic b/ c/kg 45.77 46.86 44.42 44.48 44.85 46.34 51.52 44.72 43.36 43.59 44.42 Sugar, world b/ c/kg 22.22 28.21 27.76 22.61 28.42 27.01 31.14 26.28 26.70 25.90 27.76 Raw Materials Timber Logs, Cameroon $/cum 381.3 526.9 470.2 409.6 530.8 554.4 548.5 473.8 452.0 476.6 470.2 Logs, Malaysia b/ $/cum 268.0 292.3 329.7 275.5 293.4 282.3 277.7 315.7 316.0 326.6 329.7 Plywood c/sheets 640.7 645.5 574.7 647.0 640.4 647.3 648.6 645.5 646.5 646.1 574.7 Sawnwood, Cameroon $/cum 760 958 698 838 1,036 1,052 974 771 757 734 698 Sawnwood, Malaysia b/ $/cum 806.3 889.1 818.4 802.5 860.3 935.8 900.3 859.9 872.3 845.8 818.4 Woodpulp $/mt 767.0 820.2 580.0 819.4 850.2 870.7 848.8 711.0 719.8 630.3 580.0 Other Raw Materials Cotton A Index b/ c/kg 139.5 157.4 126.3 153.0 167.9 166.5 168.2 126.9 121.1 122.2 126.3 Cotton Memphis c/kg 142.9 161.5 134.9 155.5 174.2 171.6 170.0 130.1 123.7 131.1 134.9 Rubber, US c/kg 248.0 284.1 169.8 264.8 292.6 311.7 329.1 202.8 209.4 154.3 169.8 Rubber, Singapore b/ c/kg 229.0 261.9 152.0 245.1 275.5 307.9 301.5 162.7 171.3 123.2 152.0 continued on next page a/ Included in the energy index (2000=100) b/ Included in the non-energy index (2000=100) c/ Steel not included in the non-energy index $ = US dollar = US cent bbl = barrel cum = cubic meter dmtu = Dry Metric 3 Ton Unit kg = kilogram mmbtu = million British thermal units mt = metric ton toz = troy oz n.a. = not available n.q. = no quotation
COMMODITY PRICE DATA Annual averages Quarterly averages Monthly averages Jan-Dec Jan-Dec Jan-Dec Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Nov Dec Jan 2007 2008 2009 2007 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2009 Fertilizers DAP b/ $/mt 433 967 351 522 860 1,192 1,154 663 613 408 351 Phosphate rock b/ $/mt 70.9 345.6 265.0 98.3 234.4 367.5 409.2 371.3 350.0 350.0 265.0 Potassium chloride b/ $/mt 200.2 570.1 853.1 230.8 367.7 511.1 635.0 766.7 765.0 772.5 853.1 TSP b/ $/mt 339 905 n.a. 425 715 1,036 1,108 762 915 n.a. n.a. Urea, E. Europe, bulk b/ $/mt 309.4 492.7 263.4 365.4 357.6 575.7 745.4 292.2 245.8 225.4 263.4 Metals and Minerals Aluminum b/ $/mt 2,638 2,573 1,413 2,444 2,743 2,940 2,787 1,821 1,852 1,490 1,413 Copper b/ $/mt 7,118 6,956 3,221 7,188 7,796 8,443 7,680 3,905 3,717 3,072 3,221 Gold $/toz 696.7 871.7 858.7 788.0 926.8 896.0 869.6 794.5 760.9 816.1 858.7 Iron ore b/ c/dmtu 84.7 140.6 140.6 84.7 140.6 140.6 140.6 140.6 140.6 140.6 140.6 Lead b/ c/kg 258.0 209.1 113.3 321.5 289.9 230.7 191.2 124.5 129.1 96.3 113.3 Nickel b/ $/mt 37,230 21,111 11,307 29,219 28,957 25,682 18,961 10,843 10,702 9,686 11,307 Silver c/toz 1,341 1,500 1,140 1,424 1,765 1,720 1,495 1,020 987 1,032 1,140 * * Steel products index, Japanc/ 2000=10 182.0 289.3 283.8 192.0 229.6 279.2 338.2 310.4 312.2 283.4 283.8 Steel cr coilsheet, Japan, Reinc/ $/mt 650.0 965.6 1100.0 650.0 762.5 900.0 1100.0 1100.0 1100.0 1100.0 1100.0 Steel hr coilsheet, Japan, Reinc/ $/mt 550.0 883.3 1000.0 550.0 700.0 833.3 1000.0 1000.0 1000.0 1000.0 1000.0 Steel, rebar, Japan, Reinstatedc/ $/mt 521.5 760.2 462.5 556.8 639.4 837.5 934.2 629.6 682.5 446.3 462.5 Steel wire rod, Japan, Reinstatc/ $/mt 533.3 1009.8 1200.0 553.3 754.0 950.0 1135.0 1200.0 1200.0 1200.0 1200.0 Tin b/ c/kg 1,454 1,851 1,137 1,634 1,778 2,265 2,051 1,310 1,364 1,124 1,137 Zinc b/ c/kg 324.2 187.5 118.7 262.3 243.0 211.3 177.0 118.5 115.3 110.1 118.7 NEW World Bank commodity price indices for low and middle income countries( 2000 =100) Energy 244.8 342.0 170.4 298.6 331.1 417.8 406.0 213.0 207.2 165.3 170.4 Non Energy Commodities 224.9 272.3 198.8 237.4 281.4 308.1 292.8 207.0 205.0 189.5 198.8 Agriculture 180.6 229.7 182.7 201.1 236.6 259.8 243.7 178.9 177.6 169.7 182.7 Beverages 169.9 210.0 199.7 179.4 210.7 221.4 226.8 181.2 173.7 184.0 199.7 Food 184.7 247.4 190.4 213.2 257.2 286.3 260.5 185.7 183.8 176.0 190.4 Fats and Oils 209.0 277.3 191.5 259.9 310.2 327.7 288.9 182.4 179.9 171.6 191.5 Grains 189.0 281.7 225.0 215.6 274.6 335.2 298.5 218.6 214.4 206.6 225.0 Other Food 149.0 177.1 157.6 149.7 171.9 187.4 188.9 160.2 161.3 154.1 157.6 Raw Materials 175.8 196.8 155.4 182.8 199.5 215.2 211.5 161.2 164.3 147.1 155.4 Timber 136.8 150.5 145.6 137.2 146.8 155.4 150.2 149.4 151.0 148.8 145.6 Other Raw Materials 218.5 247.5 166.3 232.7 257.2 280.5 278.4 174.1 178.8 145.3 166.3 Fertilizers 240.1 570.7 405.0 292.0 409.4 624.1 741.1 508.4 505.0 417.7 405.0 Metals and Minerals 314.0 325.7 208.4 305.7 358.7 371.1 342.4 230.6 227.3 204.0 208.4 a/ Included in the energy index (2000=100) b/ Included in the non-energy index (2000=100) c/ Steel not included in the non-energy index $ = US dollar = US cent bbl = barrel cum = cubic meter dmtu = Dry Metric Ton Unit kg = kilogram mmbtu = million British thermal units mt = metric ton toz = troy oz n.a. = not available n.q. = no quotation 4
Selected Commodity Prices, Nominal US dollars, 2001-2008 5
Selected Commodity Prices, Nominal US dollars, 2001-2008 cont d 6
Selected Commodity Prices, Nominal US dollars, 2001-2008 cont d 7